Babysitter
by AJ and Sebastian Goin
Summary: When the team is called out of town, Abby is left to babysit an injured McGee. McAbby Fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I'm not really quite sure where this is going to go. My bestie, JenJen, requested that I write another McAbby story (multi chapter this time) and seeing as I love her to bits and also that today is her anniversary, I just couldn't say no. It took me a while to form a good idea and all that came through was the basic premise so I'm flying by the seat of my pants here.

Muse's Note: She neglects to mention that while she is super into Tiva, her trusty writing partner here is as big of a McAbby fan as her bestie so I'm 100% behind writing this too. If you haven't read anything we've written before, please take just a moment to peek at our profile. It's extremely short and will make this chapter notes make so much more sense.

Disclaimer: If we owned NCIS, JenJen wouldn't be several seasons behind, McAbby would be together, and the TIVA scenes would not only exist but push the boundaries of "acceptable for television".

Spoilers: Since JenJen _is_ several seasons behind, just assume this is somewhere post Somalia but with no real spoilers for anything.

Beta: I run solo, but I do proofread. If I miss anything, blame Sebastian and PM me so I can fix it please!

* * *

"You let him get shot! Shame on you Anthony Dante DiNozzo Junior!" The shriek was punctuated with several slaps on his upper arm.

As he moved to rub the offended muscle he shook his head. "I didn't _let_ him Abbs. I shot the suspect but he squeezed off a round on his way down. Hit McGauzewrap in the leg. It's just a flesh wound."

Tony recoiled as Abby Scuito swung her pale hand to hit him again. "He could have died, Tony!"

Shaking his head once again he reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, stilling her movement. "Abby! He's fine. They removed the bullet, stitched him up, gave him some painkillers. They're releasing him in the morning. He's pretty out of it, but why don't you go see him. Room 282. He's drugged out of his gourd. It's hilarious."

She pelted him with one last blow then scurried off down the hall toward McGee's room.

"Was that Abby?" Tony turned toward Ziva David's voice.

"Yes. Apparently it's all my fault McTarget got shot. And _how_ does she know my middle name? It's not in my file or on my social security card or birth certificate and _you_ are the only one my father told."

His partner shoved a cup of coffee in his hand and the red that spread on her ears told him everything he needed to know. He glared at her for a moment then sighed. "Come on. We better get back to the office. Gibbs has already decreed that we have to cover McGee's paperwork, get everything in tonight, and be in on time tomorrow morning."

Now it was Ziva's turn to sigh. "Great. Sleeping at the office again. I call bibs on the couch in Vance's waiting area."

"You mean 'dibs' and that's fine. I much prefer the one in cybercrimes."

* * *

Abby woke with a start at the hand on her shoulder. She blinked several times before her eyes focused on her boss and surrogate father. "Gibbs!"

He held a finger to his lips then shot a pointed look at McGee. He held up a Caf-Pow, turned, and walked into the hall, the forensic scientist hot on his heels. As soon as she closed the door behind herself she reached for the drink.

Much to her chagrin, he pulled it back before she could take it. "Abbs, focus."

She shifter her gaze to his face and he continued. "DiNozzo, Ziva, Palmer, and I are catching a flight to Charleston. They have a dead petty officer and the local NCIS office is understaffed. You going to be okay looking after McGee and Ducky?"

Abby nodded. "Sure. I need to do a system upgrade on the computers in my lab. I'll get McGee to help to keep him busy. And I'll get Ducky to come over for dinner, make sure he gets out of autopsy."

Finally, he handed off the highly caffeinated beverage. "That's my girl. Hopefully we'll be home by the weekend. Call me if you need anything."

With that he was gone, quickly disappearing around a corner in the corridor. She took a couple of long pulls of the sweet red liquid then reentered McGee's room. She should probably wake him considering it was almost 0800 and the doctor had said he'd be by around 0900.

She set her cup on a small table and crept over to the bed, nudging his arm. "Timmy, wake up!"

* * *

When she reentered her lab, McGee was on the phone. Abby set the bags in her hand down quietly then placed the cup carrier next to it and waited.

"And you're sure it's not going to be fixed until next week?" He paused and listened to the person on the other end of the connection. "Okay. Well, thanks for calling." He ended the call and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong?" Now that he was done with his call she grabbed the back of the wheeled chair he was seated in and shoved him toward her office, picking the food and drinks back up before following him.

He sighed heavily as he used his good leg to pull himself up to her desk. "That was my super. The elevator in my building is out again and he had to order a part so it's going to be at least Tuesday next week before it's up and running again. I don't know if I can manage three flights of stairs on crutches. I swear, next place I live, I'm holding out for the first floor instead of the fourth. "

Abby chewed her lip contemplatively as she unpacked their lunch onto her desk then dropped herself into her own chair. As she chewed the first bite of her sandwich she began to muse out loud. "Well, my place is out of the question. No way we could hide Jethro for a whole week."

The look on McGee's face clearly showed that he hadn't yet thought about the issue of his dog. "Speaking of…"

Abby waved her hand. "Jimmy stopped by and walked and fed him last night. Gibbs did it this morning. But what to do with him until you can go home?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the chirping of her phone and she stole a quick glance at the caller ID before answering. "Hi Gibbs! Were your ears burning? I just mentioned you."

"I just wanted to let you know that we made it to the base in Charleston. Everything okay there?"

Abby quickly filled him in on their conundrum with Jethro. "So I have to figure out what to do with them."

"Abbs, take 'em to my place. There's clean sheets in the closet in the upstairs hallway. If he can manage the stairs, put him in the back bedroom. If not, fix up the couch and he can shower at work."

A smile spread on her face. As much as he pretended to be a hardass, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a big softie when it came to his team. "Thanks Gibbs!"

He ended the call without so much as a 'goodbye' but that was just typical of him. She grinned widely at McGee who had raised an eyebrow at her. "We will be staying at Casa de Gibbs."

Shock spread on the agent's face. "Wait, Gibbs just gave you permission for my _dog_ to be in his house?"

"Yup." Abby took another bite of her sandwich as she watched him analyze the information. Even after all of these years it made him uncomfortable when Gibbs showed him any type of affection and she was pretty sure it was a side effect of his _very_ hands-off father.

They finished eating in a comfortable silence then Abby stood and shoved her chair to the side. "Alright, I have a ton of evidence to process before we can get out of here. So _you_ need to stay in here and stop distracting me. You can work on the computer in here for the afternoon."

She grabbed his chair and rolled him around the desk then scooped up her Caf-Pow and marched back out into her lab. A moment later she stabbed at the button on the remote to resume her thumping music and dove back into her work.

* * *

AN: I know this is a bit slow in the starting but the ground work had to be laid. I have things to do tomorrow after work so next chapter should be up Tuesday. Feel free to drop us a review and let us know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So I was sitting here, sipping my cup of iced tea, meandering through Facebook for the morning debating if I wanted this to be a serious fic or a silly fun fic when I read the reviews. Hslacer wants fun and Cactus Kate likes cute, so fun and cute I shall give you!

MN: This is not fair! When I want fun she insists on serious, but a perfect stranger asks and she just gives in. Oh well, fun means fluff and fluff means I gets to do my thing so I guess I'll take the win any way I can get it.

* * *

He was completely exhausted. Who would have known that hopping around on crutches all day was so draining? Now, as he eyeballed the stairs in Gibbs' home he debated the merits of sleeping on the couch. Unfortunately, he knew Abby would insist he at least attempt to make it upstairs.

As if on cue, the moment he thought her name she came through the door. She unclipped Jethro's leash then hung it and her coat on a hook by the door. The dog immediately trotted over and sat next to him, laying his head in McGee's lap with a slight whimper.

As soon as Abby had retrieved the canine from his apartment, Jethro had practically glued himself to his owner. The animal knew he was in pain and was being so protective that Abby had barely been able to drag him outside for his last walk of the evening.

"You look like hell, Timmy." Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts as she handed him a glass of water.

He took the cool drink but shook his head when he saw the pill bottle in her other hand. "No more painkillers, Abbs. They mess with my head."

"You're about to go to bed anyway. They'll help you sleep. Besides, I like stoned McGee. He's funny."

With a sigh he stuck out his hand. He knew she was right about the narcotics helping him sleep. With the throbbing in his calf at that moment, he doubted he'd get any kind of decent rest. He quickly swallowed the pair of pills she shook into his palm.

By the time Abby had turned off the lights downstairs and locked up he was already beginning to notice the fuzzy feeling closing in on his brain. He decided not to protest as she helped him up from the chair he'd been sitting in.

The staircase was too narrow for using the crutches to help him up the stairs so she had squeezed herself in next to him to try to help him hop up instead. Two steps and a near tumble later they abandoned that plan. McGee spun around and sat on the steps and slid up them backwards, pushing himself up with his uninjured leg and arms. When he got to the top step he pushed himself to his feet and used the walls on either side of him to hop, backwards, up the last step.

Abby was right behind him, ready with the crutches. As he took them and got turned around to move down the hallway a smile crept onto his face. "I'm really glad I didn't try to go for my apartment. Could you imagine if I had slipped there? I would have gone ass over elbows all the way back down."

Abby let loose a small giggle. "While that mental image is hilarious, I'm pretty sure your painkillers are kicking in and you've been spending too much time with Tony."

They were through the door into the back bedroom now and he plopped himself down on the bed rather gracelessly. "Why do you say that?"

She had moved to the duffle bag she had packed for him which was already sitting on the low dresser in the corner. "Because, you just said 'ass over elbows'. You've never said that before. It's one of Tony's phrases."

He stared at her in silence for a moment, contemplating what she was saying until the imaged of him tumbling down the stairs cartoon style slid back into his brain and he broke down into a fit of giggles.

She looped her eyes at him as she set a clean t-shirt and pair of sweatpants next to him on the bed. "Okay, I don't like stoned McGee as much tonight as I did last night. Come on; let's get you changed before you pass out on me."

She reached down to the buttons on his shirt and he pulled back. "Abby, I am quite capable of getting myself changed!"

Again she rolled her eyes at him. "Right now I doubt you are capable of remembering your own name. And it's not like I haven't seen you naked before. Now shut up and let me help you!"

* * *

McGee rubbed his eyes then looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was just before 0600. It had been around 2000 when Abby had herded him upstairs. What had happened after that?

He could remember entering the bedroom and sitting on the bed. And laughing, he could definitely remember laughing. Then what?

As he sat up he realized what he was wearing and the memory hit him like a punch in the stomach. He'd been so out of it that she had needed to help him change. That wasn't a big deal. She'd only stripped him down to his boxers and pulled his pajamas on. It was what he'd said that was currently upsetting his stomach.

"_Now shut up and let me help you!"_

_He'd grinned like the cat that caught the canary. "Fine, Abbs. But you know, if you wanted to get me naked in bed again after all these years, all you had to do was ask. I would have been happy to oblige."_

She had brushed him off with another comment about being under the influence of narcotics, but that didn't change the fact that he was mortified. While they both know he never would have made the comment sober, they also both knew that the painkillers wouldn't have created the thought, only allowed him to voice it.

He shoved himself to his feet and grabbed his crutches. After spending 10 hours in bed he was in desperate need of the head. As he entered the bathroom, his eyes caught the shower. That was going to be a challenge. He was under orders to keep his stitches dry.

After he'd relieved himself, he moved to wash his hands and noticed the note on the bathroom mirror in Abby's flourished handwriting.

_Tim,_

_In case you get up before me and are stupid enough to try a shower on your own, there is a folding chair in the tub. There's plastic wrap in the drawer. Make sure you seal your leg up well and hang it out of the curtain. If you wait until I'm up I can help you. Don't hurt yourself._

_A_

He smiled to himself. Even after his lewd comment the night before, she'd taken the time to worry about him. But it was that comment that made him decide he had to manage the shower on his own.

* * *

Abby woke to the sound of her phone ringing. As she answered it she registered the sound of the shower turning off. He was so stubborn.

"Hello?" She hadn't looked at the caller ID. Only a handful of people would be calling her before 7am.

"Hey Abby."

"Tony! How's South Carolina? How's the case going? When are you guys coming home?" She paused as she realized she'd asked three questions and hadn't given him time to answer.

"It's raining, the case is going slow, and I don't know when we'll be home. We're grabbing breakfast and Gibbs told me to call and check in on you and McGimpy."

Abby listened a moment as she heard the bathroom door open and the steady click of crutches on the wood floors. A moment later she heard a door close and replied to Tony. "We're fine. Tim just got out of the shower. I should go. I need to get dressed so I can walk Jethro."

"Alright. Gibbs said he'll call you later to check in."

She said goodbye and disconnected the call. She had showered after putting McGee to bed the night before so she got dressed before making her way to the bathroom to brush out her hair and pull it into her signature pigtails. Once she'd applied her makeup she exited and took the few steps to knock on the door to the back bedroom.

"Come on in Abbs."

She swung the door open to find him sitting on the bed, mostly clothed with the sock that belonged on his left foot in his hand and an exasperated look on his face.

"I admit it. I need help. I can't get close to getting it on without pulling on the stitches."

She stepped toward him and took the sock from his hand then bent down to pull it over his toes. "It's not the end of the world to have to ask for help, Tim." She grabbed the shoe still sitting on the floor and slid it onto his foot. They had argued the previous day about him switching out his dress shoes for sneakers and she was happy to have won that fight.

"I just don't want to put you out."

"First, you're not putting me out. We're family. Family takes care of each other. Second, if it makes you feel better, you can take me out to dinner this weekend."

The smile on his face caused his entire posture to relax. "Add a movie and it's a deal. Anywhere you want to go and anything you want to see."

"Be careful what you wish for." His shoe now tied, she stood. "Come on. I'll help you get downstairs then get breakfast fixed."

Jethro let out a sharp bark and she laughed. "Yes, you get breakfast too."

* * *

AN: This story is so fluffy I am having to dig to find the plot, but ya know what? The sun is shining, I'm relaxing today, and I'm totally okay with the ridiculous puffiness of this story.

MN: Mark this day on the calendar please. AJ has made a great breakthrough in her life today by enjoying fluff writing. She actually participated in writing something that was plotless and angstless and had fun with it.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Decided a bit of a time jump was in order because I want to be able to write the weekend without having this ficcie be epic in length.

MN: Did I mention how much I love writing fluff? Cause I do. And thanks to those who have reviewed! We love to hear from you.

* * *

McGee stretched out in bed, feeling well rested for the first time since he'd been shot. Two things had combined to result in his night of relaxation.

First, he had skipped the prescription painkillers the night before. It had been four days now since he had been released from the hospital and the pain was manageable with just ibuprofen. He was tired of feeling like he was in a daze for half of the day. So he'd consulted Ducky when he'd been over for dinner the night before and the doctor told him not to take the narcotics if he didn't feel they were necessary.

The second reason he was feeling so refreshed was that it was Saturday. The rest of the team was still in Charleston, but since he and Abby weren't involved in their case at all they didn't need to go to the office. So now it was just after 0800 and, although he'd been awake for an hour, he was still lazing in bed.

He heard water running in the bathroom and smiled. Okay, so there were three reasons he'd gotten a great night's sleep and the third was Abby. She'd cooked for he and Ducky the previous evening then, after the doctor left, she'd hauled out their laptops and spent the rest of the evening battling him in various online games. Before this week, it had been a long time since they had spent any personal time alone together.

That thought made the smile drop from his lips. This week had made him regret having ever called their relationship off in the first place. The relationship had been so casual and when he'd been assigned to Gibbs' team she'd told him about Rule #12. So, they'd both agreed to being friends.

And they had been. Great friends, in fact. But being such great friends only served to make him realize what he was missing.

A whimper from the foot of the bed brought McGee back to reality. Jethro was looking from him to the door and back. Apparently, it was time to get up and let the pooch outside.

He was getting better with the crutches, and he was downstairs in no time, still clad in his pajamas. He opened the front door and stood watch as his dog rushed out into the yard to relieve himself. Once Jethro was back inside and the door closed, he made his way to the downstairs bathroom, suddenly in need of his own relief.

By the time he made it back out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, Abby was already there. She had started a pot of coffee. As the aroma hit his nose, he smiled again. While Abby was a die-hard Caf-Pow addict, few people knew that on her days off she generally preferred a highly creamered and sweetened cup of coffee in the morning.

He pulled out a chair and lowered himself into it as she cracked eggs into a bowl to scramble. "Morning."

"Morning, Timmy. Scrambled eggs and toast okay for breakfast?"

"Sounds good to me. You decide on dinner and a movie for tonight?" The thought of spending the evening out alone with her was a happy one.

"I'm thinking movie then dinner so we don't have to rush. I want to see 'The Great Gatsby' and then we could go to Serbian Crown. None of my other friends like Eastern European cuisine so I haven't been since you took me last." She was stirring the eggs in a pan now, fidgeting excitedly as she spoke.

"I haven't been there since either. Chocolate Mousse for dessert?" They used to eat at that particular restaurant frequently but more of their dinner out now included Tony, Ziva, Ducky, and Palmer and none of the others had particularly cared for the food.

Abby dropped two slices of bread in the toaster and shoved the lever down. "Of course! How could we go there and _not_ get the Mousse?"

As she set a mug of coffee on the table in front of him, McGee smiled. Today was going to be a great day.

* * *

He was still smiling as he signed the credit card slip at the restaurant. He'd been smiling all day. The rest of the morning and early afternoon were spent lazing around Gibbs' house. The movie had been excellent, doing justice to one of his favorite books. And dinner had been delicious.

All of that, however, paled in comparison to the company. He'd gotten to spend the entire day with Abby uninterrupted and he'd loved it. Once he'd handed the black folder back to their waiter, Abby stood and retrieved his crutches from where they rested in the corner. He carefully levered himself to his feet and accepted them from her then lead her toward the door.

They rode back to Gibbs' home in a comfortable silence that they maintained until they opened the front door. Jethro rushed out at them and managed to knock him off his crutches, sending him sprawling backward into the grass.

Abby spun around and rushed toward him. "Oh my god, Tim, are you okay?"

The only answer he was able to form was a laugh. It started as a chuckle but before long he was guffawing so hard that tears streamed down his cheeks. It wasn't until he had calmed to giggles that he realized that she was on the grass next to him, leaned against him as her own chuckles shook her body.

"It's official. You have spoiled my dog. All this extra time outside and running around the yard. He's going to be impossible to live with when I go home."

She didn't move away from him as she regained her composure. "Poor guy. He just wasn't meant to be cooped up in a little apartment all the time." She scratched the Jethro's head as he lay down beside her.

"Maybe I should think about buying a house when my lease is up. It would be harder to find a dog sitter for when I work late or have to go out of town, but he'd have a yard to run around in."

She pulled away from him suddenly and when he looked at her she was staring at him, mouth agape. He wasn't sure what had her so surprised. "What?"

"Timothy McGee, that has to be the sweetest thing you've ever said. I mean, you are talking about buying a house just to make your dog happy!"

Her stare was making him uncomfortable and he shrugged. "Not _just_ to make him happy. I mean, it makes sense. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be staying with NCIS long term. It might be nice to put down some roots. I never really got to as a kid; having The Admiral for a father meant we moved a lot. I think I'd like having a place to call 'home'."

They sat in silence for another minute before Abby stood then helped him up. It was already after 2200 so McGee opted to head straight upstairs. Before he closed the bedroom door, Abby threw her arms around him in a tight hug then kissed his cheek before retreating to her own room.

For the second time that day, he felt regret gnaw at him.

* * *

The muffled noise had him instinctively reaching for his weapon as he sat up in the dark. The clock read 0200. He listened for a moment before he heard it again, this time easily identifying the sound. It was just a tree branch brushing against the house in the wind.

At some point in the night it had started raining and now he could hear low rumbles of thunder in the distance. He returned his gun to the nightstand then lay back down. Just as he was closing his eyes, lightening lit the room as the house shook under the sharp crack of the accompanying thunder.

Moments later Abby came rushing into the room. She had never been a fan of loud storms and now she looked terrified, even in the low light. Wordlessly he scooted over and turned on his side as she rounded the bed and climbed in beside him.

Her black hair was rumpled from sleep and he tucked a lock behind her ear. "It's alright, Abbs."

She wiggled herself closer to him, shaking her head. "I know. It's ridiculous to be afraid of a simple storm. Scientifically, I know I'm six times more likely to die in the bathtub than in a storm. I just can't help it. Thanks for understanding, Timmy."

"Hey, we're family right?"

She chewed on her lip a moment before answering. "You're right. But now I guess it's my turn to owe _you_ dinner."

He looped his arm around her waist. "Let's just call it even for you putting your life on hold for a week for me, okay?" She nodded in agreement. "Good. Now go back to sleep."

He moved to kiss her on the cheek in imitation of her gesture earlier that night but she shifted and his lips collided with hers. He knew he should probably pull away but in that moment, he didn't care. He pressed his lips more firmly against hers. After a moment she returned his kiss, much to his relief.

* * *

AN: I know; that's a cruel place to leave it. I also know I snuck just a little bit of angst in there, but Sebastian an I agreed that it was necessary to establish McGee's state of mind. I VERY highly doubt I'll get another chapter up tomorrow (Wednesday) but I'm hopeful for Thursday. Now I need to get my butt in bed because I have to get up for work in 6 hours. Tuddles!

MN: Okay, for serious, the super fluffy conversation on the lawn? That was all AJ. I mean, how the hell did she manage to think up a better fluff scene than me? I just don't get it. While she sleeps, I think I shall have to reexamine my purpose in life.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Broke it to JenJen today that this fic will not contain any smut. She was disappointed. But really, if you look at the ratings on my stories, most of them aren't M rated. It something we have to be in the right mood to write.

MN: I'm with AJ on this one. There's something about trying to write hot and heavy love scenes while wearing a shirt that smells like tractor grease that just doesn't work. And we're tired. But maybe if someone gives us an idea, our next fic will be a smutty little oneshot.

* * *

A faint noise was invading Abby's brain, but it wasn't loud enough for her to be willing to fully awaken. She was entirely too comfortable. After a moment, the noise ceased and she began to drift back off. Just as she was nearly back out, the noise started again, but this time much louder.

The bed shifted and she felt a loss in the warmth surrounding her. The noise stopped and for one blissful moment she thought she really would be allowed to go back to sleep. Then a new noise invaded her ears.

"McGee…Yeah Boss…No, she's fine. Just sleeping in…0945…Well it is Sunday, Boss…On it, Boss."

His phone clattered back to the nightstand and he rolled back toward her, his arms snaking their way back around her body, his bare flesh heating hers. He nuzzled gently at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. When he spoke, the vibrations gently massaged her muscle. "That was Gibbs. Apparently he tried calling you and you didn't answer. And since you always answer, he freaked out. I'm supposed to get out of bed and go wake you up and make you call him back."

She grumbled as she snuggled back into his embrace. "Just call him back and tell him that I can't move."

"Abby." There was a warning tone in his voice and she knew she absolutely had to get up.

Reluctantly, she slipped from the bed, rubbing her eyes to help get them to focus. She slipped on her panties and scanned the floor. She didn't immediately see her shorts or tank top so she instead opted to pull McGee's hastily discarded shirt over her head.

Jethro followed her through the door and whined at her as she turned into her room. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and punched 2 on the speed dial as she made her way down the stairs.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings.

"Yeah Abbs." Sometimes with Gibbs it was hard to tell if things were a question or a statement.

She unlocked and opened the door, allowing Jethro to rush out into the yard. "McGee told me to call you. I was asleep. Guess I didn't hear my phone."

"Everything okay, Abbs?"

She leaned against the doorframe as she watched Jethro sniff around. "Fine. But you do have a tree you need to get trimmed. Makes a _ton_ of noise against the siding in a storm. How's the case going?"

"Got a suspect in custody. Can't interrogate him until his lawyer gets here tomorrow. Should be home Tuesday morning. And tell McGee I want my house back when I get there."

"Sure thing, Gibbs." She dropped the hand holding her phone to her side as he disconnected the call then gave a sharp whistle. The dog bounded back into the house, dancing happily toward the kitchen.

Abby quickly replenished his food and water then headed back upstairs. She stopped in the bathroom then walked back into the back bedroom. McGee was still lying in bed, the covers pulled up to his waist. He was on his back, one arm draped over his eyes and the other stretched out to the side as if waiting for her.

She quickly shucked the clothing she had put on and crawled back in beside him. She stretched herself out next to him, body pressed against his, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Everything okay in Charleston?"

His arm dropped down allowing his fingers to trace along her bare shoulders and back. "Yup. They have their suspect in custody. They should be home by Tuesday morning. And Gibbs says he wants his house back." Her fingers were tracing patterns idly on his chest and she felt his words as much as heard them.

"The elevator in my building should be running by the time I get home Tuesday."

"Oh, Tuesday! You have to go get your stitches out! And then you can start putting pressure on your leg again!"

In one smooth move he slid his arm down to wrap around her waist and hauled her over so she was lying on top of him. "I guess you'll just have to keep handling the pressure until then."

Her giggle was cut short as his lips met hers.

* * *

He had his eyes tightly closed and his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. It was almost the end of the day and he really wanted to finish the report he was writing, but eight straight hours of staring at words on the screen were taking their toll on his eyes.

He released his grip on his face and reached for his coffee cup. Empty. Great. McGee rose from his chair and fumbled for his crutches. He made his way to the breakroom slowly. The muscles in his leg were stiff, a condition caused by a combination of his day in bed with Abby and sitting at his desk all day.

The first half of that though brought a smile to his face. They had spent the previous day in bed, getting up only for food, bathroom breaks, and to walk Jethro. He'd woken that morning with her stretched out on top of him.

While, yes, they had repeatedly made love, they had also done quite a bit of talking. And they had decided that, in spite of the Rules, they both wanted to see where things could go between them. Since technically Abby wasn't an agent and he wasn't her superior, there was no official regulation that forbid their relationship. The only rule they would be breaking was Gibbs' 12.

McGee mulled that over as he poured a cup of coffee and added creamer and sugar. Under normal circumstances, Gibbs would be pissed at someone breaking the rules. He had made that clear when Tony had dated EJ. But this wasn't normal circumstances. This was Abby. She was practically the boss's daughter.

"I'll be lucky to make it out of this alive, but she's worth it."

"What Agent McGee?"

His head snapped up. He'd been alone in the breakroom a moment ago, but now Dorneget stood just a few steps away. "Uhhh, nothing. Just thinking outloud." He put a lid on his coffee then cursed audibly as he realized the flaw in his plan. He couldn't carry the cup while using the crutches.

"I can bring it by your desk on my way back if you want." The man moved to fix his own cup of the bitter brew.

"Thanks. I get my stitches out tomorrow. I can't wait to be back on my own two feet." He returned to his desk and had just managed to plop himself in his chair when his phone rang.

"McGee."

"I need you to find me three plane seats from Charleston back to DC, McGee."

Gibbs wasn't one for pleasantries. All business. And he could respect that. "Civilian or military, Boss?"

"We already checked on military flights. Nothing available until tomorrow night. Going to have to be Civilian."

His fingers were dancing on the keys, running several searches at once. "I've got two seats on a flight leaving at 1917, but I can't get a third until 0600 tomorrow."

"Is the elevator in your building back up?"

"Not yet boss." He mouthed a 'thank you' as Dorneget set his drink on his desk and exited the bullpen.

"Get DiNozzo and Ziver on the flight tonight. I'll take the one in the morning. My house better not smell like dog."

Gibbs had disconnected the call immediately after the last word was out of his mouth. McGee booked all three tickets and sent the information to Tony. He took a long sip of his coffee before lifting his phone again. He needed to call airports and the airline to let them know there would be armed agents arriving.

* * *

"Come on Abbs!" McGee was leaning against the doorframe, keeping an eye on Jethro as he sniffed around the yard.

Boots clunking loudly, Abby descended the stairs. "I was making sure we didn't leave anything behind."

He looped his eyes as he moved through the doorway. "You didn't need to check for a fifteenth time! We're going to be late by the time we stop to drop off Jethro and pick up my car. I _have_ to beat Gibbs in."

"Relax, Timmy. He said he was stopping by here on his way to the office for clean clothes." She had closed the door behind him and followed him down the walk. Now, as he reached for the car door she grabbed his hand.

He turned to look at her and was pleasantly surprised when she kissed him, briefly but deeply. Before he had a chance to recover she'd practically skipped around the car to the driver's door.

Shaking his head he opened his own door. "Jethro! In."

* * *

AN: So I think one more chapter and then an epilogue will wrap this all up into a little box quite nicely. Sorry this took so long to get up. The last two days at work were special. Like "server crashes causing the registers to go down when we have long lines" special.

MN: Hmmm? What? Wait! She wrote another chapter without me!? Dammit. Bibs on the epilogue.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: There will be an epilogue and the generics of it have already been decided upon by JenJen, but other than that, we are at our conclusion. My next fic is going to have to have some substance. And some angst. And, for the love of Tony DiNozzo, a plot!

MN: I decided to make AJ write most of this one cause I'm thinking about the epilogue already. It's going to be great. And I will make sure to inject fluff into the next fic. Don't worry.

* * *

He hadn't even seen the headsmack coming. Or, more to the point, he hadn't seen _Gibbs_ coming. McGee had kept one eye on the elevator all morning, waiting for their fearless leader to arrive. Apparently he'd come in a different way, entering the bullpen behind him and connecting his hand with the back of McGee's skull.

Now, as he returned from his doctor's appointment, McGee cautiously scanned the area as he limped toward his desk. He was still using the crutches, but the doctor had instructed him to start gradually returning pressure to his left leg.

"Hey, McLimpy!" Despite his best effords, he felt himself start at the sound of Tony's voice behind him.

"Jesus, Tony. You trying to give me a heart attack?" He plopped himself in his desk chair and pulled up his email.

"What are you so McJumpy for?"

"Would it have something to do with why Gibbs slapped you earlier?" Great, now Ziva was going to join in.

"Since when do you two question me when Gibbs slaps me?" He was trying to deflect their attention and the looks on their faces said they knew it.

Tony perched himself on the edge of Ziva's desk and stared at him. "Since we've been gone for a week and the first thing he does when he walks in the door is slap you, before checking in with Vance. What did you do to his house?"

His house. That had to be it. He and Abby had somehow left a clue at Gibbs' house. The man had figured it out when he'd stopped by to change on his way in from the airport. It was the only logical explanation. Suddenly, McGee realized that his partners were staring at him expectantly. His mind scrambled to think of an appropriate response but was interrupted when Tony suddenly jumped to his feet and hurried back to his own desk.

That could only mean one thing. Gibbs was back. He swallowed hard and waited for the incoming slap, but it didn't come. In fact, Gibbs walked straight past him. "McGee, with me."

He jumped up as quickly as he could and grabbed his crutches. Somehow he managed to make it to the elevator before the doors opened and he stepped inside with the older agent. As soon as the doors were closed and the elevator had begun its ascent, Gibbs reached out and hit the emergency stop.

McGee took a deep breath and waited silently for the storm he was pretty sure was coming.

"So, McGee, were you going to tell me?"

"Yes, Boss." It was the truth. Actually, it was something he had insisted upon to Abby. While he was willing to break Rule 12, his own number one rule was to never lie to Gibbs. "Tonight, as a matter of fact."

He was looking his superior straight in the eye. He refused to blink; he needed Gibbs to know he was serious. After a moment, it was Gibbs who turned, returning his gaze to the elevator door. "Don't screw this up. She does know how to kill you without leaving evidence. And I'll help."

With that he turned the elevator back on. A moment later it arrived on the floor he had chosen and Gibbs stepped off.

McGee pressed the button to return back to the bullpen. He was more than a little shocked. He'd expected Gibbs to read him the riot act, but the man had been calm, understanding. It was a little scary.

He exited back into the bullpen and returned to his desk. He hadn't even managed to log into his computer when both Tony and Ziva were leaning over him.

"Everything okay?" Surprisingly, Tony seemed to be genuinely concerned.

"Everything's fine." He really did not feel like discussing his personal life with his partners in the middle of the bullpen.

Tony stared at him for a long moment before straightening up and shrugged. "Alright. But if you want to talk about it McTightLipped, you know where to find me. And right now, that's the breakroom." He walked away, practically dragging Ziva with him.

McGee let out a sigh of relief. As soon as the pair were out of sight he again stood from his desk and headed toward the elevator. A visit to Ducky would ease his jumbled thoughts and he still needed to finish updating one final computer in autopsy. As for Tony and Ziva, they could keep waiting for him in the breakroom all night for all he cared.

* * *

Tony paused outside the door. He was sure he was doing the right thing; he just wasn't entirely comfortable doing it. But, he and Ziva had flipped a coin and he'd lost.

He shook his head then rapped loudly on the door. It was Friday night and, for once, McGee had seemed in a hurry to rush out of work. Something had been up with the younger agent ever since the rest of the team had returned from Charleston. Things had been icy between him and Gibbs. And McGee wouldn't give a straight answer on what was going on. To top it all off, he was avoiding any and all questions about his evenings. Impatient, he knocked again.

Finally, he heard the sound of the lock clicking on the door in front of him. As soon as it was opened he shoved his way inside. "It's about damned time McSlowpoke! Your neighbor's probably think I'm a creep by now. What…"

Tony froze as his eyes connected with Abby's. She was dressed in a pair of shorts and an MIT t-shirt that was quite obviously too large for her. "Abbs! What're you doing here? I came to talk to McGee."

"He went to walk Jethro."

Before she could respond to his question, the answer suddenly clicked in his brain. "Holy crap. You and McGee! You two are…doing whatever it is you two used to do again. And Gibbs knows! Oh, this explains everything!"

He backed toward the door. "I was never here Abbs." He let himself out and hurried to the stairs, determined not to let McGee see him in the elevevator.

* * *

AN: Again sorry for delayed posting. Weekend at work was crazy again and then yesterday I spent the majority of my shift scrubbing. I came home so dirty and tired that I took a shower, ate dinner, watched ONE episode of Criminal Minds (yay Demonology!) and went to bed. Then I woke up today dying of allergies (all that dust I cleaned yesterday). But we're determined to get the epilogue up tonight cause we want to start on our next fic.

MN: As for that next fic, we have agreed to pursue a Tiva idea that AJ had this week. We hope you guys will like it. It's going to be a different writing style and probably be more on the Epic length. Because of that we will probably take some breaks to do some oneshots here and there. Your mission: PM us ideas for songfics (NCIS or Criminal Minds, any pairings) to consider!


	6. Epilogue

AN: Thanks for joining us on this journey. Hope you like all the fluffiness.

MN: Thanks also for the reviews. We love to hear from all of you.

* * *

Donald Mallard smiled as he rang the doorbell. From the outside the house was, in a word, cute. It was two stories with light siding, a well-manicured lawn, and flowerbeds surrounding the walk and small front porch.

The door opened and he stepped inside. The interior was exactly what he had expected. Open floor plan, hardwood floors, and comfortable looking furniture.

"Ducky, Ducky, Ducky! You made it!" The squeal was accompanied by a quick but powerful hug from the young woman and his smile widened.

"Of course I made it. I told Timothy I would be here, and I am. Now where is our new homeowner?" He saw no sign of either the man or his dog and Ducky found that odd.

"He's out back starting the grill and arguing with Tony about the merits of gas versus charcoal." She took the gift bag from his hand and set it on the dining room table before leading him through the house. "Timmy's going to give the tour once everyone gets here."

As they entered the back yard, Jethro (the canine) came bounding up to them. He patted the dog briefly on the head as he looked around. The yard was fairly large and, likely due to the dog he was petting, surrounded by a tall fence. Several large trees shaded the majority of the space, including the large patio.

The doorbell sounded again and Abby rushed back into the house. Ducky approached the two men standing near the grill. "Timothy, the house is lovely. Congratulations."

The man beamed back at him. "Thanks Ducky. But Abby deserves all the praise. She's the one who found the listing."

"I still can't believe she picked out the house and you couldn't even get her to move in with you, McLame." Ducky stifled a chuckle as Tim glared at Tony.

"She's stuck in her lease for three more months. That gives plenty of time for us to talk about it."

"Talk about what?"

Abby had reappeared on the patio with Ziva at her side and was now looking at the trio of men expectantly.

"Hopefully about getting some meat on that grill so we can eat." Even Ducky hadn't seen the team's leader enter the yard.

* * *

Ducky sat back in his chair, watching his team, no his family. Ziva, Tony, Tim, Abby, Jimmy, and Breena were gathered around a fire pit, roasting marshmallows, talking, and laughing. He couldn't help but notice how Tim doted on Abby. They were good together.

"Here ya go Duck." The tea cup appeared before the man holding it.

Ducky accepted the drink and sipped it as his friend lowered himself into the chair next to him. "Thank you Jethro."

"You're welcome."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Gibbs spoke again. "They're happy right? All of them?"

Ducky glanced over at him then back at the rest of the team. "Happier than they've been. Happier than one would expect with what they've been through."

"Good."


End file.
